Systems and methods for incentivizing participation in gameplay events in an online game

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for incentivizing user participation in gameplay events that take place in an online game are presented herein. The gameplay events may include one or more time intervals that take place during the duration of the gameplay event. The time intervals may be associated with incentivizing one or more actions and/or activities by the users during the intervals. The users may be distributed awards based on their performance during the intervals. The awards associated with time interval performance may impact awards distributed based on final ranking in the gameplay event.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to gameplay events in an online game and, morespecifically, to activating timed intervals during the gameplay eventswhere users are rewarded based on specific performance within theintervals.

BACKGROUND

Users may access virtual spaces via client computing platforms. Avirtual space may include, for example, an online game. Content withinthe online game may include game entities that represent users and/orvirtual objects that are available for use by the users. Game entitiesmay include one or more of a virtual character, group of characters, avirtual object, a battalion, a clan, a unit, a village, an army, and/orother considerations. Virtual objects may include virtual items and/orgoods. Virtual items and/or goods may include one or more of a virtualweapon, a tool, a food, a currency, a reward, a bonus, health, a potion,an enhancement, a mount, a power-up, a speed-up, clothing, a vehicle, ananatomical feature of a character, a troop or troop type, a pet, avirtual resource, and/or other virtual items and/or goods. Events maytake place in the online game, such as a tournament. Users may beawarded virtual items based on their performance in the events.

SUMMARY

User participation in online gameplay events (e.g., tournaments,battles, challenges, etc.) may be driven by the opportunity to obtainawards based on performance in the event (e.g., rewarding users forplacing 1^(st), 2^(nd), and/or 3^(rd)). User participation in thegameplay events may spike and/or otherwise increase towards the end ofthe gameplay events where users more or less “scramble” to increasetheir final ranking. As such, one or more implementations of the systempresented herein aim to incentivize user participation during othertimes of the gameplay events. For example, one or more time intervalsmay be “activated” during the gameplay event where user participation isincentivized by the opportunity to win additional awards. In someimplementations, the awards associated with the time intervals mayimpact the final awards obtained based on final ranking. As such, userparticipation during the different time intervals, as well as through tothe end of the gameplay events, may be increased, thereby enhancing thegameplay experience of the users participating in the events.

In some implementations, the system may comprise one or more physicalprocessors configured to execute one or more computer components. Thecomputer components may be executed to implement an instance of avirtual space and/or an online game taking place within the virtualspace and to facilitate the participation of one or more users in thevirtual space and/or the online game. The computer program componentsmay include one or more of a space component, an event hostingcomponent, a gameplay metric component, an award component, and/or othercomponents.

The space component may be configured to execute an instance of anonline game. The online game may take place in a virtual space. Thespace component may be configured to implement the instance of theonline game to facilitate user participation in the online game. Usersmay participate in the online game by controlling game entities in thevirtual space. Users may participate in the one or more gameplay eventsthat take place in the online game.

The event hosting component may be configured to facilitate gameplayevents for the users of the online game. Events in the online gameinclude one or more of a tournament, match, campaign, battle, siege,and/or other considerations of gameplay events where performancerelative to other users may be quantitatively measured. The events mayinclude one or more time intervals that take place within the durationof the gameplay event. The intervals may be separate and distinct startand end times. Actions and/or activities by the users during the timeintervals may be incentivized by providing users awards based onperformance during the time intervals.

The gameplay metric component may be configured to determine values fora gameplay metric. The gameplay metric may reflect one or more aspectsof gameplay (e.g., actions and/or activities) in the online game by theusers during the gameplay events.

The award component may be configured to distribute awards to the usersbased on performance within the gameplay events. The awards may includeawards associated with determined changes in the respective values ofthe gameplay metric for the users. Changes in values may be determinedfor individual ones of the users in association with individual ones ofthe time intervals. These changes may reflect the users' relativeperformance during the intervals. Changes in values may be determinedfor the users in association with the gameplay event as a whole. Thesechanges may reflect the users' relative performance over the entiregameplay event. The awards that may be distributed based on userperformance within a time interval may impact the awards that may bedistributed based on user performance within the entire gameplay event.

These and other features, and characteristics of the present technology,as well as the methods of operation and functions of the relatedelements of structure and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing description and the appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thevarious figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that thedrawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only andare not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As usedin the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”,and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for incentivizing user participation ingameplay events that take place in an online game, in accordance withone or more implementations.

FIG. 2 illustrates an implementation of a server employed in the systemof FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an implementation of a user interface presented to auser in connection with an implementation of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method of incentivizing user participation ingameplay events that take place in an online game, in accordance withone or more implementations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 for incentivizing user participation ingameplay events that take place in an online game. The online game maytake place within a virtual space. Users may participate in the virtualspace and/or the online game by controlling game entities that representthe users in the virtual space. Game entities may include one or more ofa virtual character, group of characters, a virtual object, a battalion,a clan, a unit, a village, an army, and/or other considerations. Usersmay participate in one or more gameplay events that take place in thevirtual space. Events in the virtual space include one or more of atournament, a match, a campaign, a battle, a siege, and/or otherconsiderations of gameplay events where performance relative other usersmay be quantitatively measured.

Virtual objects may include virtual items and/or goods. Virtual itemsand/or goods may include one or more of a virtual weapon, a tool, afood, a currency, a reward, a bonus, health, a potion, an enhancement, amount, a power-up, a speed-up, clothing, a vehicle, an anatomicalfeature of a game entity, a troop or troop type, a pet, a virtualresource, and/or other virtual item and/or good.

In FIG. 1, providing the virtual space may include hosting the virtualspace over a network 34, such as the Internet. A host server 12 mayinclude one or more processors configured to execute one or morecomputer components for implementing an instance of a virtual spaceand/or an online game taking place within the virtual space and tofacilitate the participation of one or more users in the virtual spaceand/or the online game. The server 12 may include processor(s) 14.

The computer program components may include one or more of a spacecomponent 16, a user component 18, a shop component 20, an event-hostingcomponent 22, a gameplay metric component 24, an award component 26, aleaderboard component 28, and/or other components. The server 12 may beconfigured to communicate with one or more client computing platforms38, according to client/server architecture, and/or otherconsiderations. The client computing platforms 38 can include, forexample, a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a laptop, a tabletcomputer, a desktop computer, a television set-top box, smart TV, agaming console, and/or other considerations. The users 40 may accesssystem 10 and/or the virtual space via the client computing platforms38.

The space component 16 may be configured to implement an instance of thevirtual space executed by the computer components to determine state ofthe virtual space. The state may then be communicated (e.g., viastreaming visual data, object/position data, and/or other stateinformation) from server 12 to client computing platforms 38 forpresentation to users 40. The state determined and transmitted to agiven client computing platform 38 may correspond to a view for a usercharacter (or other game entity) being controlled by a user 40 via inputdevices (e.g., a controller) at the given client computing platform 38.The state determined and presented to a given client computing platform38 may correspond to a location in the virtual space (e.g., location inthe game). The view described by the state for the given clientcomputing platform 38 may correspond, for example, to the location fromwhich the view is taken, the location the view depicts, and/or otherlocations, a zoom ratio, a dimensionality of objects, a point-of-view,and/or parameters of the view. One or more of the view parameters may beselectable by the users 40.

An instance of the virtual space may comprise a simulated space that isaccessible by users 40 via clients (e.g., client computing platforms 38)that present the views of the virtual space to a user. The simulatedspace may have a topography, express ongoing real-time interaction byone or more users, and/or include one or more objects positioned withinthe topography that are capable of locomotion within the topography. Insome instances, the topography may be a 2-dimensional topography. Inother instances, the topography may be a 3-dimensional topography. Thetopography may include dimensions of the space, and/or surface featuresof a surface or objects that are “native” to the space. In someinstances, the topography may describe a surface (e.g., a groundsurface) that runs through at least a substantial portion of the space.In some instances, the topography may describe a volume with one or morebodies positioned therein (e.g., a simulation of gravity-deprived spacewith one or more celestial bodies positioned therein). An instanceexecuted by the computer components may be synchronous, asynchronous,and/or semi-synchronous.

The above description of the manner in which the state of the virtualspace is determined by space component 16 is not intended to belimiting. The space component 16 may be configured to express thevirtual space in a more limited, or richer, manner. For example, viewsdetermined for the virtual space representing the state of the instanceof the virtual space may be selected from a limited set of graphicsdepicting an event in a given place within the virtual space. The viewsmay include additional content (e.g., text, audio, pre-stored videocontent, and/or other content) that describes particulars of the currentstate of the place, beyond the relatively generic graphics. For example,a view may include a generic battle graphic with a textual descriptionof the opponents to be confronted. Other expressions of individualplaces within the virtual space are contemplated.

Within the instance(s) of the virtual space executed by space component16, users 40 may control game entities, simulated physical phenomena(e.g., wind, rain, earthquakes, and/or other phenomena), and/or otherelements within the virtual space to interact with the virtual spaceand/or each other. The game entities may include virtual characters suchas avatars. As used herein, the term character may refer to a gameentity present in the virtual space that represents an individual user.A game entity may be controlled by the user 40 with which it isassociated. The user-controlled element(s) may move through and interactwith the virtual space (e.g., non-user characters in the virtual space,other objects in the virtual space). The user-controlled elementscontrolled by and/or associated with a given user 40 may be createdand/or customized by the given user. The user may have an “inventory” ofvirtual items and/or currency that the user can use (e.g., bymanipulation of a game entity or other user-controlled element, and/orother items) within the virtual space.

The users may participate in the instance of the virtual space bycontrolling one or more of the available user-controlled game entitiesin the virtual space. Control may be exercised through control inputsand/or commands input by the users through client computing platforms38. The users may interact with each other through communicationsexchanged within the virtual space. Such communications may include oneor more of textual chat, instant messages, private messages, voicecommunications, and/or other communications. Communications may bereceived and entered by the users 40 via their respective clientcomputing platforms 38. Communications may be routed to and from theappropriate users through server 12 (e.g., through space component 16)and/or through communications which are external to the system 10 (e.g.,text messaging services associated with the client computing platforms38).

The instance of the virtual space and/or the online game that takesplace therein may be persistent. That is, the virtual space and/or thegame may continue on whether or not individual players are currentlylogged in and/or participating in the game. A player who logs out of thevirtual space and then logs back in some time later may find the virtualspace has been changed through the interactions of other players withthe virtual space during the time the player was logged out. Thesechanges may include changes to the simulated physical space, changes inthe player's inventory, changes in other players' inventories, changesexperienced by non-player characters, changes to the virtual itemsavailable for use in the online game, and/or other changes.

The instance of the virtual space and/or online game may include eventsthat take place in the virtual space. Events in the virtual spaceinclude one or more of a tournament, match, campaign, battle, siege,challenge, and/or other considerations of events. Events may correspondto gameplay where users control game entities and interact with otherusers controlling game entities, with artificial intelligence-controlledentities, and/or other considerations of gameplay within the events.Participation in events may be monitored and/or otherwise determinedsuch that the performance of users relative to other users in the eventsmay be quantitatively valued.

The user component 18 may be configured to access and/or manage one ormore user profiles and/or user information associated with users of thesystem 10. The one or more user profiles and/or user information mayinclude information stored by server 12, one or more of the clientcomputing platforms 38, and/or other storage locations. The userprofiles may include, for example, information identifying users (e.g.,a username or handle, a number, an identifier, and/or other identifyinginformation) within the virtual space, security login information (e.g.,a login code or password), virtual space account information,subscription information, virtual (or real) currency account information(e.g., related to currency held in credit for a user), virtual inventoryinformation (e.g., virtual inventories associated with the users thatinclude one or more virtual items available for the users in the virtualspace), relationship information (e.g., information related torelationships between users in the virtual space), virtual space usageinformation (e.g., a login history indicating the frequency and/oramount of times the user logs in to the user accounts), demographicinformation associated with users, interaction history among users inthe virtual space, information stated by users, browsing history ofusers, a client computing platform identification associated with auser, a phone number associated with a user, attribute information,and/or other information related to users.

The attribute information managed by the user component 18 may compriseone or more attributes and/or attribute values associated with theattributes. In some implementations, the attributes described herein maycorrespond to one or more game entities associated with a user and/orthe users themselves. By way of non-limiting example, a gain in a valuefor an attribute of a particular game entity may be extended as a gainfor a value of a same or similar attribute associated with the user (andperhaps with other game entities associated with the user). That is tosay, an attribute that describes characteristics of the game entity maybe used to describe characteristics of the user, and/or an attributethat describes characteristics of the user may be used to describecharacteristics of one or more game entities associated with the user.

A value of an attribute may describe a state of a characteristicassociated with the user and/or game entity in the online game. Forexample, a common attribute is experience (XP). Other examples ofattributes may include a reputation score, a rank, a skill score, alevel of knowledge, average spending, a role, a class, a handle (e.g.,username), alliance(s), friend(s), health (e.g., hit points), strength,power, mana, valor, might, spells, morale, speed, level, appearance,race, initiative score, skills, defense abilities, attack abilities,special abilities, production rate, upkeep, virtual items produced,technology produced, and/or any other attributes. The value of a givenattribute may be numerical (e.g., points, amount, score, rank, ratings,grades, or any other type of numerical value), descriptive (e.g., textfor name, race, role, and/or other considerations), progressive (e.g.,high, medium, low, and/or other considerations), pictorial (e.g., animage representing a group of users associated with the user, and/orother considerations), and/or any other type of value for an attribute.

The user information associated with a given user as managed by the usercomponent 18 may include information indicating inventory associatedwith the user in the online game. An inventory associated with a givenuser may provide an accounting of virtual items, such as virtualbuildings, resources, weapons, objects, and/or any other virtual items;characters, such as a user-controlled game entity, avatar, troop, and/orany other type of user-controlled game entity; virtual currencies;and/or any other virtual space elements that have been procured,controlled by, and/or otherwise associated with a given user in theonline game. Such accounting of items associated with users may reflecta balance (e.g., a quantity of the entities associated with the user inthe online game). By way of a non-limiting example, the given user mayhave an X number of virtual currencies, a Y number of a virtualresources (e.g., iron, ore, wood, coal, etc.), a Z number of troops,and/or any other entities associated with the user in the online game.

In some implementations, a valor attribute associated with a game entitymay reflect relative experiences and/or actions by the user controllingthe associated game entity in the virtual space. The valor attribute maybe a measure of the game entity's performance and/or capabilities todefeat enemies, inflict damage, collect resources, achieve objectives,and/or other considerations. For example, a game entity may gain and/orlose valor depending on the strength, resulting performance, and/orcapabilities in the virtual space. In some implementations, with acertain amount of valor the game entity attains in the virtual space,the game entity may become more powerful and capable, which may bereflected by enhancements in various characteristics associated with thegame entity. In some exemplary implementations, the valor associatedwith the game entity may be manifested via number(s) expressed asexperience points (“XP”), and/or other considerations.

By way of illustration in FIG. 2, the user component 18 may beconfigured to manage user information for a first user 42, a second user44, and/or other users. The user information managed for the first user42 may include information corresponding to a first game entity 46associated with the first user 42, and/or other information. Theinformation corresponding to the first game entity 46 may include afirst attribute 40 and/or other information. A corresponding value ofthe first attribute 40 and/or other attribute (e.g., a point value, anon-numerical value, and/or other considerations) may be stored. Thevalue of the first attribute 40 may be determined, changed, and/orupdated based on gameplay by the first user 42 in the online game whileusing the first game entity 46, and/or other considerations.

The user information managed for the second user 44 may includeinformation corresponding to a second game entity 48 associated with thesecond user 44. The information corresponding to the second game entity48 may include the first attribute 40 of the second game entity 48,and/or other attribute(s). A corresponding value of the first attribute40 for the second game entity 48 and/or other attribute (e.g., a pointvalue, a non-numerical value, and/or other considerations) may bestored. The value of the first attribute 40 for second game entity 48may be determined, changed, and/or updated based on gameplay by thefirst user 42 in the online game, and/or other considerations.

Returning to FIG. 1, in some implementations, the shop component 20 maybe configured to present offers to sell instances of virtual items tousers in a virtual shop. The virtual shop may be a simulated environmentwithin the virtual space which is accessible by users and presents theviews of the virtual shop to the users. Users may access the virtualshop through one of a variety of ways. Users may access the virtual shopthrough the manipulation of one or more entities associated with theuser within the virtual space using control inputs and/or commands inputby the users through client computing platforms 38, and/or other ways ofaccess.

Manipulation of a game entity may include moving the game entity throughthe virtual space using control inputs and/or commands input by theusers through client computing platforms 38 to move the one or moreentities to the simulated environment designating the location of thevirtual shop within the virtual space.

Users may use control inputs and/or commands not associated with a gameentity to access the virtual shop. Control inputs and/or commands mayautomatically present the instance of the virtual shop on the clientcomputing platforms 38 (e.g., user selects a virtual shop button toautomatically be taken to the virtual shop).

The instance of the virtual shop may be presented to users through ashop interface. The shop interface may be configured to present theoffers to sell virtual items to users. The shop interface may beconfigured to receive entry and/or selection of individual offers by theusers to effectuate acceptance and/or purchase of the offers at avirtual (or real) currency purchase price.

The simulated environment of the virtual shop may have topography. Thevirtual shop may express ongoing real-time interaction by one or moreusers (e.g., may have limited stock of virtual items for sale which canbe purchased by one or more users within the virtual space and which canbe depleted), and/or include one or more objects (e.g., one or morevirtual items, a virtual teller, and/or other objects) positioned withinthe topography that may be capable of locomotion within the topography.The virtual shop may display the virtual items and/or the one or moresets of virtual content available for purchase by the users. Users mayview the virtual items (e.g., individual virtual items and/or sets ofvirtual items) available for purchase. Users may purchase the virtualitems using virtual (or real) currency. Transactions may take place withthe virtual teller, through various other actions of the user within theinstance of the virtual shop, and/or other offer/transaction mechanisms.In some implementations, the virtual shop component 20 may be configuredto manage transfer of instances of virtual items of value and instancesof placeholder items to user inventories in response to purchase of thevirtual items of value and placeholder items.

In some implementations, users may purchase virtual items and/or goodsvia the virtual shop in preparation for gameplay events and/or duringthe gameplay events. In some implementations, the purchase of virtualitems and/or goods by users participating in gameplay events may “spike”toward the end of the gameplay events. That is, users may purchase ahigher quantity of virtual items and/or higher-valued virtual itemsand/or goods to enhance and/or increase their performance as the end ofthe gameplay events nears. This may give the users the opportunity toobtain more “points” and/or otherwise increase their performancerelative to other users in order to get into the top ranking of playersby the end of the gameplay event. In some instances, users may onlyminimally participate in the gameplay event up until the end of thegameplay event. As such, the participation level by users in thegameplay events in general may be minimal up until the near end of theevents. However, in order to increase participation by users during theentirety of the gameplay event, one or more implementations of thesystem 10 presented herein contemplate providing incentives for userparticipation during one or more predetermined timed intervals that takeplace during the event. Participation by the users during theseintervals may be incentivized by virtue of rewarding the users based onspecific performance within the intervals.

The event-hosting component 22 may be configured to facilitate one ormore gameplay events for the users of virtual space. By way ofnon-limiting example, the event-hosting component 22 may facilitate agameplay event such that a user should undertake certain game actions oractivities in the virtual space during an event time period. The usersmay be distributed awards based on their performance in the gameplayevents. The event-hosting component 22 may be configured to facilitategameplay events by specifying the event time period, a start time of theevent time period, an end time of the event time period, and/or otherconsiderations. In some implementations, the event-hosting component 22may be instructed by the provider(s) of the virtual space to startfacilitating a given gameplay event for the users of the virtual space.For instance, control information entered and/or selected by theprovider(s) of the virtual space may be received by the event-hostingcomponent 22, instructing the event-hosting component 22 to startfacilitating a gameplay event for the users of the online game, and/orother considerations. In some implementations, the event-hostingcomponent 22 may be configured to facilitate one or more gameplay eventson a periodic basis, and/or on some other basis.

In some implementations, the event-hosting component 22 may beconfigured such that facilitating gameplay events comprises determiningone or more time intervals within the event time periods of gameplayevents. Individual ones of the time intervals may be shorter than theduration of the gameplay event. Individual ones of the time intervalsmay take place during the duration of the gameplay event. For example, atime interval may have a start time that is temporally after a starttime of the gameplay event. A time interval may have an end time that istemporally before an end time of the gameplay event. In someimplementations, the determination of one or more time intervals for agiven gameplay event may comprise determining a successive temporalorder of the time intervals within the duration of the gameplay event.In some implementations, if a gameplay event is associated with morethan one time interval, the time intervals may or may not overlap.

The one or more time intervals may correspond to userparticipation-incentivizing sub-events that take during the gameplayevent. That is, a given time interval may correspond to an interval oftime during the gameplay event where one or more particular game actionsand/or activities in the gameplay event may be incentivized. The actionsand/or activities may be determined based on a determination of aparticular gameplay metric, or change in the gameplay metric, associatedwith the interval and/or gameplay event in general (see, e.g., thegameplay metric component 24). In some implementations, the one or moreparticular actions and/or activities associated with the time intervalsmay be the same as the one or more actions and/or activities undertakenby the users associated with the gameplay event. In someimplementations, the certain actions and/or activities associated with agiven time interval may be different from the actions and/or activitiesassociated with gameplay event.

The certain game actions and/or activities associated with the timeintervals may be incentivized by providing the users with awards basedon their performance in the gameplay event during individual ones of thetime intervals. For example, a given time interval may be associatedwith incentivizing actions by the users that cause the user to increasea given gameplay metric. The performance of the user during the giventime interval resulting in an increase in the gameplay metric may resultin the user being determined to receive an award and/or prize. In someimplementations, the awards for performance during different timeintervals may also be different. In some implementations, the awards forperformance during the different time intervals may be the same. In someimplementations, the awards for performance during the time intervalsmay vary depending on a qualitative measure of the user's performance(see, e.g., gameplay metric component 24). For example, in someimplementations, the greater the performance by the user of a certainaction and/or activity during a time interval may result in ahigher-valued award for that performance, and/or other considerations.In some implementations, the awards for performance during the differenttime intervals may impact the awards for performance during the entireevent period of the gameplay event (see, e.g., the award component 26).

The determined one or more time intervals may be respectively“activated” during the event period of a corresponding gameplay event. Agiven time interval may be activated by establishing an interval clock,countdown, stopwatch, and/or other technique by which one or more of theinterval duration, interval start time, and/or interval end time may bepresented to the users in the virtual space. As such, the activation ofthe time intervals may provide an indication to the users thatperformance of a specific action and/or activity to increase a gameplaymetric may be measured and/or that the users have the opportunity toobtain an award based on their performance during the intervals.Measuring user performance during the time intervals and/or gameplayevents may be described in more detail with reference to gameplay metriccomponent 26.

In some implementations, the event-hosting component 22 may beconfigured to effectuate presentation of notifications to the users of agameplay event that are associated with the one or more time intervals.This may include effectuating presentation of one or more of theinterval duration, an interval start time, and interval end time, and/orother notifications. By way of non-limiting example, in FIG. 3, anotification 98 within a user interface 96 may include presentation ofinformation that indicates that a time interval is taking place or isgoing to take place. The notification 98 may indicate the gameplaymetric, actions and/or activities to increase the gameplay metric,and/or other information related to the time interval. The notification98 may include information indicating an award or type of an award theusers may obtain based on their relative performance during theinterval, and/or other information. It is noted that notificationspresented to users during a gameplay event may include more or lessinformation. For example, a notification may include a stopwatch thatmay be displayed on-screen that provides a countdown of a time interval.Notifications may be considered in other ways.

In some implementations, the event hosting component 22 may beconfigured to facilitate gameplay events based on information determinedand/or obtained from other components such as the gameplay metriccomponent 24, award component 26, leaderboard component 28, and/or othercomponents.

By way of non-limiting illustration, in FIG. 2, the event-hostingcomponent 22 may be configured to facilitate a first gameplay event 50and/or other gameplay events. Facilitating the first gameplay event 50may include facilitating participation by the first user 42, the seconduser 44, and/or other user(s) in the first gameplay event 50. The firstgameplay event 50 may take place during a first event time period 52.The first event time period 52 may be defined by a first start time 54,a first end time 56, duration, and/or other information.

In some implementations, the event-hosting component 22 may beconfigured such that facilitating the first gameplay event 50 includesdetermining a first time interval 58 of the first event time period 52.The first time interval 58 may be defined by a second start time 60, asecond end time 62, duration, and/or other information. The first timeinterval 58 may take place within the first event time period 52. Thesecond start time 60 may take place temporally after the first starttime 54. The second end time 62 may take place temporally before thefirst end time 56.

In some implementations, the event component 22 may be configured suchthat facilitating the first gameplay event 50 includes determining asecond time interval 64 of the first event time period 52. The secondtime interval 64 may be defined by a third start time 66, a third endtime 68, duration, and/or other information. The second time interval 64may take place within the first event time period 52. The second timeinterval 64 may take place temporally after the first time interval 58.The third start time 66 may take place temporally after the first starttime 54, the second start time 60, both, and/or other considerations.The third end time 68 may take place temporally before the first endtime 56. The third end time 68 may take place temporally after thesecond end time 62.

Returning to FIG. 1, in some implementations, the gameplay metriccomponent 24 may be configured to obtain one or more gameplay metricsfor the gameplay events and determine values of the gameplay metrics forthe users in the virtual space. The gameplay metric component 24 may beconfigured to obtain a gameplay metric for one or more time intervalsassociated with a gameplay event. The gameplay metric component 24 maybe configured to obtain a gameplay metric that may be associated withthe gameplay event as a whole. In some implementations, the gameplaymetric component 24 may obtain gameplay metrics from the provider,administrator, moderator, and/or any other entities related to theonline games, e.g., via a graphical user interface. For example, theprovider(s) of the online game may provide one or more gameplay metricsof interest to the provider(s) via a graphical user interface for eachgameplay event, time interval, and/or other considerations.

A given gameplay metric obtained by gameplay metric component 24 mayinclude any variable related to gameplay (e.g., action and/or activity)by users in a gameplay event and/or a time interval within the gameplayevent. A gameplay metric obtained by the gameplay metric component 24may reflect (e.g., measure) one or more aspects of gameplay by users inthe respective gameplay events, such as actions and/or activitiesperformed by the user in the virtual space, and/or other considerations.Examples of a gameplay metric may include, but not be limited to,military power, commerce level, valor level, might level, productionrate or output, a number of bosses killed, a number of quests engaged,an amount of virtual currency acquired, average spending, number ofcombats engaged in a period, most frequent game actions performed withina period (e.g., top 10), virtual items most used within a period (e.g.,top 5), and/or other considerations.

For example, without limitation, a gameplay metric may be obtained bythe gameplay metric component 24 to measure a valor level of users in agameplay event. In another example, a gameplay metric may be obtained tomeasure production of virtual items by users in the gameplay event. Inyet another example, a gameplay metric may be obtained to measure anumber of combats engaged by the users in the gameplay event. Otherexamples of gameplay metric are contemplated.

As used herein, gameplay by users in a given gameplay event may refer touser actions and/or activities in a gameplay event for addressing,directly and indirectly, one or more objectives associated with thegameplay event and/or interval. Examples of gameplay by the users in thegiven gameplay event may include military actions (e.g., defeatingopponents, NPCs, or other users' characters in encounters or combats),logistic actions (e.g., marching troops, transporting weapons, supplyingfood, resources, and any other logistic actions), planning actions(e.g., crafting weapons, raising troops, training troops, developingheroes, building or upgrading buildings, and any other planningactions), production actions (e.g., farming, prospecting, and mining forresources; producing units; and any other user actions related toproduction activities in the online game), commerce actions (e.g.,trading for virtual resources and/or items), exploratory actions (e.g.,exploring uncharted game space locations or area, surveying game spacelocations controlled by other users, and any other exploratory actions),social interaction actions (e.g., collaborating with other users,assisting other users, challenging other users, and/or any other socialinteraction actions), participation in a quest, campaign, event, teamplay, and any other type(s) of user actions and/or activities in theonline game.

The gameplay metric component 24 may be configured to determine valuesof a gameplay metric for individual users in respective gameplay events.Determining gameplay metric values for users by the gameplay metriccomponent 24 may include identifying and/or tracking user actions in therespective online game. For example, the gameplay metric component 24may be configured to identify and track user inputs to the virtual spaceat any given time, during a specified time interval and/or time period,and/or other considerations. For instance, the gameplay metric component24 may identify that a given user has attacked an NPC at a specificlocation within the gameplay event and gained a certain amount of valor,may identify that the given user has started a crafting process in thegameplay event to craft a rare virtual item, may identity that the givenuser has assisted another user in the gameplay event by transferring anamount of virtual resources to that user's inventory, and/or identifyany other user actions in the respective gameplay event. Based on suchidentified user actions, the gameplay metric component 24 may determinea change in the value of corresponding gameplay metric(s) over time. Forinstance, without limitation, the user attacking the NPC and/or otherusers' characters within the gameplay event over a time interval mayincrease (or decrease) the value of a gameplay metric measuring valor(or other metric) of the user in the gameplay event by a certain amountof points.

In some examples, a gameplay metric obtained by gameplay metriccomponent 24 may correspond to one or more attributes, the number ofentities controlled by the users, and/or any other user informationmanaged by user component 18 as specified by the provider,administrator, moderator, and/or any other entities related to thevirtual space. In those examples, the gameplay metric component 24 maydetermine the values of the gameplay metric by simply examining and/orquerying the relevant user information corresponding to the gameplaymetric. For example, without limitation, the provider(s) of a givengameplay event may specify that the gameplay metric measuring user valor(or other metric) in the gameplay event should correspond to the valorattribute included in the user information associated with the user. Insome implementations, the provider(s) of a given gameplay event mayspecify that the gameplay metric measuring user valor (or other metric)in the gameplay event should correspond to attack abilities of the gameentity(s), attack power of the game entity, number and levels of troops,weapons, military buildings (e.g., towers) controlled by the users, andany other attributes reflecting valor (or other metric) of the users inthe gameplay events. In another example, a gameplay metric measuringuser commerce level in the gameplay event may be specified by theprovider(s) of the gameplay event as corresponding to a number ofcommerce units controlled by the users (e.g., merchants), types oftrading structure controlled by the users, number and level oftransportation units controlled by the users, number of roads controlledby the users, types of transportation infrastructure controlled by theusers, and/or any other attributes. In these examples, determining thevalues of such gameplay metric for the users by gameplay metriccomponent 24 may involve obtaining the corresponding attribute valuesfrom the user component 18.

In some implementations, the gameplay metric component 24 may determinethe values of a given gameplay metric for the users based on one or morefunctions, formulas, tables, or any other types of specificationsprovided by the provider, administrator, moderator, and/or any otherentities related to the online games. For example, a given function,formula, table, or any other type of specification may specify an“action-for-point”, “activity-for-point”, and/or other conversion. Forany given measure of a gameplay metric in a given gameplay event, agiven function, formula, table, or any other type of specification maybe provided by the provider(s) of the virtual space specifying points orother gameplay metric values associated with corresponding user actionsand/or activities, attributes, and/or any other elements that may beused to quantify a value of the gameplay metric, and/or otherconsiderations.

By way of non-limiting example, a table may specify that for every 100units of troops (or other amount) trained by a given user, one valor (orother metric) point may be given to the user; for a level 1 barrackerected by the user, 1 valor (or other metric) point may be given to theuser; for a level 10 sword (or other level and/or item) acquired by theuser, 3 valor (or other metric) points may be given to the user; forevery enemy defeated, an amount of valor points may be given to theuser; and so on. In that instance, the gameplay metric component 24 maydetermine a value of the gameplay metric measuring valor of the givenuser in the given gameplay event in accordance with such a table. Thediscussion of “valor” above is not intended to limit the type of metricwhich may be quantified and/or measured during user participation in agameplay event. Instead, this is simply an example, and is not limitingwith respect to gameplay metric, quantification techniques, measurementtechniques, functions, formulas, tables, and/or other characteristics.

By way of non-limiting illustration, in FIG. 3, the user interface 96may depict a simulated gameplay portion 100 that shows the actionsand/or activities of a game entity 102 controlled by an associated user(not shown). For example, the user may control the game entity 102within the simulated environment of the gameplay portion 100 to defeatenemies 104 (e.g., other user-controlled game entities, non-playercharacters, and/or other considerations) and/or perform other actionsand/or activities in connection to the gameplay event. One example ofhow a user may increase a value of a gameplay metric (e.g., valor,and/or other considerations) may include defeating the game enemies 104and/or other considerations. In some implementations, the enemies 104may be associated with an amount of valor that a user may obtain bydefeating the enemy 104. The enemies 104 may be individually associatedwith a valor amount, for example, due to the difficulty in defeating theenemy 104, and/or other considerations. The user interface 96 mayinclude a gameplay metric-tracking interface portion 106 that may allowthe user to keep track of current value of the gameplay metric.

The discussion of user interface 96 above is not intended to limit howgameplay metrics may be defined, how users may acquire value for thegameplay metric, and/or how actions and/or activities may be carried outin a gameplay event. Instead, this is simply an example, and is notlimiting with respect to gameplay metric, quantification techniques,measurement techniques, actions and/or activities within a gameplayevent, and/or other characteristics of the virtual space.

By way of non-limiting illustration, in FIG. 2, the gameplay metriccomponent 24 may be configured to obtain a first gameplay metric 70 forthe first event time period 52 of the first gameplay event. The firstgameplay metric 70 may correspond to a first action and/or activity,and/or set of actions and/or activities to be undertaken by the usersparticipating in the first gameplay event 50. The gameplay metriccomponent 24 may be configured to determine values for the firstgameplay metric 70 for the first user 42 associated with the first eventtime period 52, including, but not limited to, a first value 72 and asecond value 74. It is noted that the depictions of values in thedrawings and accompanying descriptions are directed to performancevalues for the first user 42 in the first gameplay event 50. However,this is for purposes of clarity and is not to be considered limiting. Inother implementations, it may be readily envisioned that determinationsof values for gameplay metrics may be similarly performed for the seconduser 44 and/or other users.

With that being said, the first value 72 may correspond to a value ofthe first gameplay metric 70 at the first start time 54, and/or otherconsiderations. The second value 74 may correspond to a value of thefirst gameplay metric 70 at the first end time 56, and/or otherconsiderations. A change (e.g., increase or decrease) in the value ofthe first gameplay metric 70 for the first user 42 during the firstevent time period 52 may correspond to a difference between the secondvalue 74 and the first value 72, and/or other considerations.

In some implementations, the gameplay metric component 24 may beconfigured to obtain a second gameplay metric 76 for the first timeinterval 58 of the first gameplay event 50. The second gameplay metric76 may correspond to a second action and/or activity, and/or set ofactions and/or activities to be undertaken by the users participating inthe first gameplay event 50 during the first time interval 58. Thegameplay metric component 24 may be configured to determine values forthe second gameplay metric 76 for the first user 42 associated with thefirst time interval 58, including, but not limited to, a third value 78and a fourth value 80. The third value 78 may correspond to a value ofthe second gameplay metric 76 at the second start time 60, and/or otherconsiderations. The fourth value 80 may correspond to a value of thesecond gameplay metric 76 for the first user 42 at the second end time62, and/or other considerations. A change (e.g., increase or decrease)in the second gameplay metric 76 for the first user 42 during the firsttime interval 58 may correspond to a difference between the fourth value80 and the third value 78, and/or other considerations.

In some implementations, the gameplay metric component 24 may beconfigured to obtain a third gameplay metric 81 for the second timeinterval 64 of the first gameplay event 50. The third gameplay metric 81may correspond to a third action and/or activity, and/or set of actionsand/or activities to be undertaken by the users participating in thefirst gameplay event 50 during the second time interval 64. The gameplaymetric component 24 may be configured to determine values for the thirdgameplay metric 81 for the first user 42 associated with the second timeinterval 64, including, but not limited to, a fifth value 82 and a sixthvalue 84. The fifth value 82 may correspond to a value of the thirdgameplay metric 81 at the third start time 66, and/or otherconsiderations. The sixth value 84 may correspond to a value of thethird gameplay metric 81 for the first user 42 at the third end time 68,and/or other considerations. A change (e.g., increase or decrease) inthe third gameplay metric 81 for the first user 42 during the secondtime interval 64 may correspond to a difference between the sixth value84 and the fifth value 82, and/or other considerations.

In some implementations, the first gameplay metric 70, the secondgameplay metric 76, and third gameplay metric 81 may be the samegameplay metric. In some implementations, the first gameplay metric 70,the second gameplay metric 76, and third gameplay metric 81 may all bedifferent gameplay metrics. In some implementations, the second gameplaymetric 76 and third gameplay metric 81 may be the same gameplay metricwhile the first gameplay metric 70 may be a different gameplay metric.The gameplay metrics may be considered in other ways.

Returning to FIG. 1, award component 26 may be configured to determineawards for distribution to the users based on performance in thegameplay events. The award determination by the award component 26 maybe based on values of the event metric(s), changes in the values of thegameplay metrics, and/or other performance criteria. Awards may bedistributed based on performance criteria for individual ones of thetime intervals and/or the gameplay event as a whole, and/or otherconsiderations. For example, the changes in the values of the eventmetric(s) for the individual users may reflect their relativeperformance within the gameplay event as a whole and/or within one ormore time intervals associated with the gameplay events.

In some implementations, the award component 26 may determine userrankings, scores, grades, ratings, and/or any gameplay event and/or timeinterval performance results, and determine the awards for distributionto the users based on such performance results. The awards determined bythe award component 26 may include virtual items and/or virtualcurrencies usable in the online games—for example, an item, a good, anenhancement, an award multiplier, a gameplay metric value multiplier, aconsolation prize, and/or other considerations.

By way of non-limiting example, the award component 26 may determinerankings, scores, grades, ratings, and/or other performance resultsbased on performance criteria for the individual time intervals and/orgameplay events as a whole. At its most basic level, performancecriteria may be associated with the changes in the values of thegameplay metrics for the users, and/or other considerations. Performancecriteria may specify that the user with the greatest increase in valueof a given gameplay metric is to be distributed an award (e.g., is the“winner”, highest ranked, and/or other considerations). However,performance criteria may be specified in other ways. For example,performance criteria may specify that the user with the highest rate ofincrease in the value of the gameplay metric within a given gameplayevent and/or time interval may be distributed an award. Performancecriteria may be considered in other ways.

In some implementations, performance criteria may be obtained from theprovider, administrator, moderator, and/or any other entities related tothe online games, and/or other considerations. The awards may bedistributed by providing the award and/or an instance of the award to aninventory associated with the “winning” user. Awards determinationsand/or distributions may be considered in other ways.

In some implementations, the award component 26 may be configured todetermine awards for distribution to the users based on cumulativeperformance within the time intervals of a gameplay event. For instance,if a gameplay event includes two or more time intervals, a user mayobtain an award if they “win” the majority of the time intervals (e.g.,perform the best within a majority of the time intervals). This maycreate further incentive to perform well within all the time intervals,as well as during the gameplay event as a whole.

In some implementations, the awards distributed to the users based onperformance in the intervals (herein “interval awards”) may be dependenton and/or may impact the final awards distributed based on final rankingin the gameplay event as a whole (herein “event award”). For instance,the interval awards may enhance and/or increase a value and/or quantityof an event award. This may include designating the interval awards as“multipliers” that increase the event award, and/or otherconsiderations. By way of non-limiting example, a given event award maycorrespond to one or more virtual items to be distributed to the users.A given interval award may correspond to a multiplier (e.g., 1.5×, 2×,2.5×, 3×, and/or other considerations) that may increase the quantityand/or value of the virtual items associated with the event award. Insuch instances, the interval awards may be redeemed in conjunction withthe event awards, and/or other considerations.

In some implementations, the interval awards may be dependent on theevent awards. An interval award may not be redeemable by a user absentthe user also obtaining an event award (e.g., based on final ranking).That is, an interval award may be a multiplier for an event award, butabsent the user ranking high enough to receive an event award, theinterval award may be of no value or even be usable. In someimplementations, the interval awards may then simply be discarded at theend of the gameplay event, and/or other considerations.

In some implementations, the interval awards may be independent from theevent awards. The interval awards may include one or more virtual itemsthat may be distributed to the users based on performance in the timeintervals, without consideration to the final ranking of the users. Insome implementations, one or more virtual items associated with aninterval award may be distributed to the users once the time intervalhas ended, once the gameplay event has ended, whether or not the userranked high enough to receive an event award, and/or otherconsiderations.

In some implementations, the interval awards may impact one or moreattributes of a user and/or game entity associated with the user. Theinterval awards may impact an attribute that is associated with agameplay metric for the particular interval. For example, a gameplaymetric may correspond to an attribute and/or other user informationmanaged by user component 18. A user may be distributed an intervalaward based on user performance with regard to having the greatestincrease in the value of the gameplay metric during the time interval(e.g., relative to other players). The interval award may provide amultiplier that increases the value of the corresponding attribute. Byway of non-limiting illustration, a gameplay metric for a time intervalmay correspond to actions and/or activities that increase the value ofvalor (e.g., associated with a valor attribute managed by the usercomponent 18). An interval award may include a multiplier that increasesthe value of the corresponding valor attribute (or other attribute). Assuch, the value of the valor attribute (or other attribute) managed bythe user component 18 may be increased by an amount specified by themultiplier. The increase in the value of the attribute may beeffectuated at the end of the interval, at the end of the gameplayevent, and/or other considerations.

The above discussion of event awards and interval awards is provided forillustrative purposes only and is not to be considered limiting. Therelationships (or lack thereof) between event awards and interval awardsmay be considered in other ways. For example, a given user may bedistributed both an interval award and an event award, an interval awardonly, an event award only, no awards, and/or other considerations.

By way of illustration, in FIG. 2, the awards component 26 may beconfigured to distribute awards to the first user 42, second user 44,and/or other users based on performance within the first gameplay event50. The awards may include a first award 86 (interval award), a secondaward 88 (event award), a third award 90 (interval award), a fourthaward 92 (award based on cumulative interval performance), and/or otherawards. The first award 86 may be associated with determined changes inthe respective values of the second gameplay metric 76 for the firstuser 42, second user 44, and/or other users. For example, the determinedchange for the second gameplay metric 76 for the first user 42 may bethe difference between the fourth value 80 and the third value 78 (e.g.,obtained from the gameplay metric component 24). The first award 86 mayinclude, for example, an event award multiplier, one or more virtualitems, an attribute value multiplier, and/or other considerations. Insome implementations, only one user may receive the first award 86.

In some implementations, in response to the change in the value of thesecond gameplay metric 76 for the first user 42 within the firstinterval 58 being determined to be greater than the change of the valueof the second gameplay metric 76 for the second user 44 and/or any otherusers within the first interval 58, the award component 26 may beconfigured to determine that the first user 42 may receive the firstaward 86 and that the second user 44 and/or other users do not receivethe first award 86.

The second award 88 may be associated with determined changes in therespective values of the first gameplay metric 70 for the first user 42,second user 44, and/or other users (e.g., an event award). For example,the determined change for the first gameplay metric 70 for the firstuser 42 may be the difference between the second value 74 and the firstvalue 72. The second award 88 may be associated with user rank of thefirst user 42, second user 44, and/or other users by the end of thefirst gameplay event 50. The second award 88 may include one or morevirtual items. The quantity, value, and/or other characteristic of theone or more virtual items may correspond with the rank of the users bythe end of the first gameplay event 50, and/or other considerations. Insome implementations, different instances of the second award 88 may bedistributed to different users based on the user's final ranking. Assuch, in some implementations, the top ranked (e.g., top 4 and/or otherconsiderations) users may receive different instances of the secondaward 88 (e.g., being of different value and/or quantity based onranking).

In some implementations, in response to the change in the value of thefirst gameplay metric 70 for the first user 42 within the first eventtime period 52 being determined to be greater than the change of thevalue of the first gameplay metric 70 for the second user 44 within thefirst event time period 52, the award component 26 may be configured todetermine that the first user 42 may receive a first instance of thesecond award 88 and/or that the second user 44 may receive a secondinstance of the second award 88, and/or other considerations. In someimplementations, in response to the change in the value of the firstgameplay metric 70 for the first user 42 within the first event timeperiod 52 being determined to be greater than the change of the value ofthe first gameplay metric 70 for the second user 44 within the firstevent time period 52, the award component 26 may be configured todetermine that the first user 42 may receive an instance of the secondaward 88 and that the second user 44 does not receive an instance of thesecond award 88.

The third award 90 may be associated with a determined change in therespective values of the third gameplay metric 81 for the first user 42,second user 44, and/or other users (e.g., an interval award). Forexample, the determined change in the third gameplay metric 81 for thefirst user 42 may be the difference between the sixth value 84 and thefifth value 82. The third award 90 may include, for example, an eventaward multiplier, one or more virtual items, an attribute valuemultiplier, and/or other considerations. In some implementations, onlyone user may receive the third award 90.

In some implementations, in response to the change in the value of thethird gameplay metric 81 for the first user 42 within the secondinterval 64 being determined to be greater than the change of the valueof the third gameplay metric 81 for the second user 44 and/or any otherusers within the second interval 64, the award component 26 may beconfigured to determine that the first user 42 may receive the thirdaward 90 and that the second user 44 and/or other users do not receivethe third award 90.

In some implementations, the fourth award 92 may be based on theperformance of the users in the first interval 58, the second interval64, and/or other intervals of the first gameplay event 50 (e.g., anaward for cumulative performance in the intervals). The fourth award 92may include, for example, an event award multiplier, one or more virtualitems, an attribute value multiplier, and/or other considerations. Thefourth award 92 may be distributed to the user who performed the best inthe majority of the intervals of the first gameplay event 50. By way ofillustration, in response to the first award 86 and third award 90 beingdistributed to the first user 42 and not to the second user 44, theaward component 26 may be configured to determine that the fourth award92 may be distributed to the first user 42 and not to the second user44, and/or other considerations.

Returning to FIG. 1, the leaderboard component 28 may be configured toeffectuate presentation of an event leaderboard to the users during agameplay event, and/or other considerations. The leaderboard may reflectongoing changes in ranking of the users during gameplay in a gameplayevent. The leaderboard may be expressed as a list of users and/or usernames reflecting the currently top-ranked users. For example, theleaderboard may display the top 4 users, 10 users, 15 users, 20 users,and/or other considerations. In some implementations, the leaderboardcomponent 28 may be configured to effectuate presentation of theleaderboard as a banner, notification bar, and/or other considerations.

In some implementations, the leaderboard component may be configuredsuch that effectuating presentation of an event leaderboard additionallycomprises effectuating a presentation that reflects the distribution ofthe interval awards. For example, the users and/or usernames presentedin connection to the leaderboard may include a graphic and/or otherindicator that shows the interval awards acquired by the users, if any.This may include visually highlighting the usernames of the users thathave obtained interval awards, providing a graphic alongside theusername, and/or other considerations.

By way of non-limiting illustration, in FIG. 2, the leaderboardcomponent 28 may be configured to effectuate presentation of a firstleaderboard 94 in connection with the first gameplay event 50. The firstleaderboard 94 may be updated in real time, or near-real time, asgameplay in the first gameplay event 50 takes place. The firstleaderboard 94 may include some indication of the users who haveacquired interval awards based on performance in the intervalsassociated with the first gameplay event 50. For example, the firstleaderboard 94 may reflect the distribution of the first award 86, thethird award 90, the fourth award 92, and/or other awards.

By way of further non-limiting illustration, in FIG. 3, the userinterface 96 may include a leaderboard interface portion 108 (e.g., aspresented by the leaderboard component 28). The leaderboard 108 mayinclude presentation of a list of the currently top-ranked players in agameplay event, and/or other considerations. In some implementations, ifa user has obtained an interval award, the username of that user mayinclude a graphic 110 depicted alongside the name, and/or otherconsiderations. The graphic 110 may depict the type and/or quantity ofthe interval award (e.g., the multiplier amount), and/or otherconsiderations. Users who are participating in the gameplay event mayview the leaderboard 108 that reflects the distribution of intervalawards to the users. The leaderboard 108 may drive participation in thegameplay event by encouraging a competitive spirit between the players.

Returning to FIG. 1, the server 12, client computing platforms 38,and/or external resources 36 may be operatively linked via one or moreelectronic communication links. For example, such electroniccommunication links may be established, at least in part, via a network34 such as the Internet and/or other networks. It will be appreciatedthat this is not intended to be limiting and that the scope of thisdisclosure includes implementations in which servers 12, clientcomputing platforms 38, and/or external resources 36 may be operativelylinked via some other communication media.

The external resources 36 may include sources of information, hostsand/or providers of virtual spaces outside of system 10, externalentities participating with system 10, external entities forplayer-to-player communications, and/or other resources. In someimplementations, some or all of the functionality attributed herein toexternal resources 36 may be provided by resources included in system10.

The server 12 may include electronic storage 32, one or more processors14, and/or other components. The server 12 may include communicationlines or ports to enable the exchange of information with a networkand/or other computing platforms. Illustration of server 12 in FIG. 1 isnot intended to be limiting. The server 12 may include a plurality ofhardware, software, and/or firmware components operating together toprovide the functionality attributed herein to server 12. For example,server 12 may be implemented by a cloud of computing platforms operatingtogether as server 12.

Electronic storage 32 may comprise electronic storage media thatelectronically stores information. The electronic storage media ofelectronic storage 32 may include one or both of system storage that isprovided integrally (i.e., substantially non-removable) with server 12and/or removable storage that is removably connectable to server 12 via,for example, a port or a drive. A port may include a USB port, afirewire port, and/or other port. A drive may include a disk driveand/or other drive. Electronic storage 32 may include one or more ofoptically readable storage media (e.g., optical disks, etc.),magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape, magnetic harddrive, floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-based storage media (e.g.,EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media (e.g., flash drive, etc.),and/or other electronically readable storage media. The electronicstorage 32 may include one or more virtual storage resources (e.g.,cloud storage, a virtual private network, and/or other virtual storageresources). Electronic storage 32 may store software algorithms,information determined by processor 14, information received from server12, information received from client computing platforms 38, and/orother information that enables server 12 to function as describedherein.

Processor(s) 14 is configured to provide information processingcapabilities in server 12. As such, processor 14 may include one or moreof a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit designedto process information, an analog circuit designed to processinformation, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronicallyprocessing information. Although processor 14 is shown in FIG. 1 as asingle entity, this is for illustrative purposes only. In someimplementations, processor 14 may include one or more processing units.These processing units may be physically located within the same device,or processor 14 may represent processing functionality of a plurality ofdevices operating in coordination. The processor 14 may be configured toexecute components 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and/or 28. Processor 14 maybe configured to execute components 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and/or 28 bysoftware; hardware; firmware; some combination of software, hardware,and/or firmware; and/or other mechanisms for configuring processingcapabilities on processor 14.

It should be appreciated that although components 16, 18, 20, 22, 24,26, and/or 28 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as being co-located within asingle processing unit, in implementations in which processor 14includes multiple processing units, one or more of components 16, 18,20, 22, 24, 26, and/or 28 may be located remotely from the othercomponents. The description of the functionality provided by thedifferent components 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and/or 28 described aboveis for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be limiting, as anyof components 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and/or 28 may provide more or lessfunctionality than is described. For example, one or more of components16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and/or 28 may be eliminated, and some or all ofits functionality may be provided by other ones of components 16, 18,20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and/or other components. As another example,processor 14 may be configured to execute one or more additionalcomponents that may perform some or all of the functionality attributedbelow to one of components 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and/or 28.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method 400 of incentivizing user participation ingameplay events that take place in an online game. The operations ofmethod 400 presented below are intended to be illustrative. In someembodiments, method 400 may be accomplished with one or more additionaloperations not described, and/or without one or more of the operationsdiscussed. Additionally, the order in which the operations of method 400are illustrated in FIG. 4 and described below is not intended to belimiting.

In some embodiments, method 400 may be implemented in one or moreprocessing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, adigital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuitdesigned to process information, a state machine, and/or othermechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices executing some or allof the operations of method 400 in response to instructions storedelectronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices configured throughhardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed forexecution of one or more of the operations of method 400.

Referring now to method 400 in FIG. 4, at an operation 402, an instanceof an online game may be executed. The online game may take place in avirtual space. Executing the online game may include implementing theinstance of the online game to facilitate user participation in theonline game. Users may participate with the online game by controllinggame entities in the virtual space. In some implementations, operation402 may be performed by a space component the same as or similar tovirtual space component 16 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 404, gameplay events that take place in the online gamemay be facilitated. Individual ones of the gameplay events may includeone or more time intervals that take place during the gameplay events.The time intervals may correspond to incentivizing user participation inthe online game during the time intervals. In some implementations,operation 404 may be performed by an event-hosting component the same asor similar to the event hosting component 22 (shown in FIG. 1 anddescribed herein).

At an operation 406, values for one or more gameplay metrics for theusers during participation in the gameplay events may be determined. Thegameplay metrics may reflect one or more aspects of gameplay in anonline game during the gameplay events by the users participating in theevents. In some implementations, operation 406 may be performed by agameplay metric component the same as or similar to the gameplay metriccomponent 24 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 408, awards may be distributed to the users based onuser performance in the gameplay events. The awards may include awardsassociated with changes in respective values of gameplay metrics for theusers during one or more time intervals and/or the gameplay event as awhole. In some implementations, operation 408 may be performed by anaward component the same as or similar to the award component 26 (shownin FIG. 1 and described herein).

Although the present technology has been described in detail for thepurpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be themost practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understoodthat such detail is solely for that purpose and that the technology isnot limited to the disclosed implementations, but, on the contrary, isintended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that arewithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it isto be understood that the present technology contemplates that, to theextent possible, one or more features of any implementation can becombined with one or more features of any other implementation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for incentivizing participation ingameplay events that take place in an online game, the systemcomprising: one or more physical processors configured bycomputer-readable instructions to: execute an instance of an online gameand to implement the instance of the online game to facilitate userparticipation in the online game, wherein users participate in theonline game by controlling game entities, wherein a first userparticipates in the online game by controlling a first game entity froma first client computing platform, wherein a second user participates inthe online game by controlling a second game entity from a second clientcomputing platform, wherein the first client computing platform isassociated with the first user, wherein the second client computingplatform is associated with the second user; facilitate gameplay eventsfor the users of the online game, including facilitating a firstgameplay event for the first user and the second user, the firstgameplay event taking place within a first event time period, whereinduring the first gameplay event the first user and second user interactwith each other within the online game; determine values for a firstgameplay metric for the first user and the second user duringparticipation by both the first user and the second user in the firstgameplay event; determine a first interval having a start interval timeand an end interval time, wherein the first interval takes place withinthe first event time period and the first interval is less than thefirst event time period; determine a first change for the first gameplaymetric for the first user, wherein the first change is determinedbetween the start interval time and the end interval time of the firstinterval; determine a second change for the first gameplay metric forthe second user, wherein the second change is determined between thestart time and the end time of the first interval; determine a thirdchange for the first gameplay metric for the first user, wherein thethird change is determined during the first event time period; determinea fourth change for the first gameplay metric for the second user,wherein the fourth change is determined during the first event timeperiod; and distribute awards to the users based on performance withinthe first gameplay event, the awards being different from both the firstgameplay metric and the values for the first gameplay metric, the awardsincluding: a first award distributed to either the first user or thesecond user, wherein distribution of the first award is based on acomparison between the first change and the second change, wherein thefirst award is different from both the first gameplay metric and thevalues for the first gameplay metric, and the second award distributedto either the first user or the second user, wherein distribution of thesecond award is based on a comparison between the third change and thefourth change, wherein the second award is different from both the firstgameplay metric and the values for the first gameplay metric, whereinthe second award is increased responsive to both the first award and thesecond award being distributed to the same user, and wherein, responsiveto the first award and the second award being distributed to differentusers, the second award is not increased.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the online game takes place in a virtual space, wherein theusers participate in the online game by controlling the game entities inthe virtual space.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the third changefor the first gameplay metric for the first user is determined between astart event time of the first event time period and an end event time ofthe first event time period, and wherein the fourth change for the firstgameplay metric for the second user is determined between a start eventtime of the first event time period and an end event time of the firstevent time period.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein responsive to thefirst award and the second award being distributed to different users,the first award is discarded.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the oneor more physical processors are configured by computer-readableinstructions to: determine a second interval having a second startinterval time and a second end interval time, wherein the secondinterval takes place within the first event time period and the secondinterval is less than the first event time period, wherein the secondinterval occurs temporally after the first interval, and wherein boththe end interval time and the second end interval time occur prior tothe end event time; determine a fifth change for the first gameplaymetric for the first user, wherein the fifth change is determinedbetween the second start interval time and the second end interval timeof the second interval; and determine a sixth change for the firstgameplay metric for the second user, wherein the sixth change isdetermined between the second start time and the second end time of thesecond interval; wherein the awards include a third award distributed toeither the first user or the second user, wherein distribution of thethird award is based on a comparison between the fifth change and thesixth change, wherein the third award is different from both the firstgameplay metric and the values for the first gameplay metric, andwherein the third award is a second multiplier for increasing the secondaward, wherein the second award is multiplied in accordance with thethird award responsive to both the third award and the second awardbeing distributed to the same user.
 6. The system of claim 5, whereinthe one or more physical processors are configured by computer-readableinstructions such that the awards include a fourth award associated withthe distribution of the first award and third award, such that, inresponse to the first award and third award being distributed to thefirst user and not to the second user, the fourth award is determined tobe distributed to the first user and not to the second user.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors areconfigured by computer-readable instructions to effectuate presentationof a notification to the first user and/or second user of the startinterval time and the end interval time of the first interval.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors areconfigured by computer-readable instructions to effectuate presentationof a leaderboard that reflects the distribution of the first award. 9.The system of claim 1, wherein the first award is a multiplier forincreasing the second award, wherein the one or more physical processorsare configured by computer-readable instructions to: in response to thefirst change being greater than the second change, determine that thefirst user receives the first award and the second user does not receivethe first award; and responsive to the third change being greater thanthe fourth change, distribute the second award to the first user, andwherein the second award is multiplied in accordance with the firstaward.
 10. A method of incentivizing participation in gameplay eventsthat take place in an online game, the method being implemented in acomputer system including one or more physical processors and storagemedia storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:executing an instance of an online game, and implementing the instanceof the online game to facilitate user participation in the online game,wherein users participate in the online game by controlling gameentities, wherein a first user participates in the online game bycontrolling a first game entity from a first client computing platform,wherein a second user participates in the online game by controlling asecond game entity from a second client computing platform, wherein thefirst client computing platform is associated with the first user,wherein the second client computing platform is associated with thesecond user; facilitating gameplay events for the users of the onlinegame, including facilitating a first gameplay event for the first userand the second user, the first gameplay event taking place within afirst event time period, wherein during the first gameplay event, thefirst user and second user interact with each other within the onlinegame; determining values for a first gameplay metric for the first userand the second user during participation by both the first user and thesecond user in the first gameplay event; determining a first intervalhaving a start interval time and an end interval time, wherein the firstinterval takes place within the first event time period and the firstinterval is less than the first event time period; determining a firstchange for the first gameplay metric for the first user, wherein thefirst change is determined between the start interval time and the endinterval time of the first interval; determining a second change for thefirst gameplay metric for the second user, wherein the second change isdetermined between the start time and the end time of the firstinterval; determining a third change for the first gameplay metric forthe first user, wherein the third change is determined during the firstevent time period; determining a fourth change for the first gameplaymetric for the second user, wherein the fourth change is determinedduring the first event time period; and distributing awards to the usersbased on performance within the first gameplay event, the awards beingdifferent from both the first gameplay metric and the values for thefirst gameplay metric, the awards including: a first award distributedto either the first user or the second user, wherein distribution of thefirst award is based on a comparison between the first change and thesecond change, wherein the first award is different from both the firstgameplay metric and the values for the first gameplay metric; and thesecond award distributed to either the first user or the second user,wherein distribution of the second award is based on a comparisonbetween the third change and the fourth change, wherein the second awardis different from both the first gameplay metric and the values for thefirst gameplay metric, wherein the second award is increased responsiveto both the first award and the second award being distributed to thesame user, and wherein, responsive to the first award and the secondaward being distributed to different users, the second award is notincreased.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein responsive to the firstaward and the second award being distributed to different users, thefirst award is discarded.
 12. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising: determining a second interval having a second start intervaltime and a second end interval time, wherein the second interval takesplace within the first event time period and the second interval is lessthan the first event time period, wherein the second interval occurstemporally after the first interval, and wherein both the end intervaltime and the second end interval time occur prior to the end event time;determining a fifth change for the first gameplay metric for the firstuser, wherein the fifth change is determined between the second startinterval time and the second end interval time of the second interval;determining a sixth change for the first gameplay metric for the seconduser, wherein the sixth change is determined between the second starttime and the second end time of the second interval; wherein the awardsinclude a third award distributed to either the first user or the seconduser, wherein distribution of the third award is based on a comparisonbetween the fifth change and the sixth change, wherein the third awardis different from both the first gameplay metric and the values for thefirst gameplay metric, and wherein the third award is a secondmultiplier for increasing the second award, wherein the second award ismultiplied in accordance with the third award responsive to both thethird award and the second award being distributed to the same user. 13.The method of claim 12, wherein the awards include a fourth award basedon the performance of the users in the first interval and the secondinterval, such that, in response to the first award and third awardbeing distributed to the first user and not to the second user, thefourth award is determined to be distributed to the first user and notto the second user.
 14. The method of claim 10, additionally comprisingeffectuating presentation of a notification to the first user and/orsecond user of the start interval time and the end interval time of thefirst interval.
 15. The method of claim 10, additionally comprisingeffectuating presentation of a leaderboard that reflects thedistribution of the first award.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein thefirst award is a multiplier for increasing the second award, and whereinthe method further comprising: in response to the first change beinggreater than the second change, determining that the first user receivesthe first award and the second user does not receive the first award;and responsive to the third change being greater than the fourth change,distributing the second award to the first user, wherein the secondaward is multiplied in accordance with the first award.
 17. The systemof claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are configuredby computer-readable instructions to receive input by the first user,through the first client computing platform, to move the first gameentity among locations within the virtual space.